Once you get into the next year, it usually costs more money because uh we've negotiated a teacher contract where there are raises. I would say that's probably the biggest expense that goes up, other heating, building, but just to keep it level, just to keep the same services that we had the year before. We have to spend more money than we spent the year before and that's without changing anything. So, there has to be some kind of mechanism to get that extra money. So that's either done by cutting positions and then you're not at level service anymore or it's through looking at our budget and seeing where there might be savings. Sometimes it's through retirements. And if you can't get there that way, then you have to start looking at our revolving accounts and see which ones can be used to offset that so that we don't have to go below the level service.
whatever you want to call it, whether it's rainy day money, whatever. But not knowing that there's $4 million sitting in the school accounts when you're asking for more money each year is offensive to me. It is not good practice for the taxpayers in this town who are requesting transparency. We want to know where our money is going. So I would ask that that is included in every budget going forward that is presented to the public. How much money is sitting in accounts not being used because it's not fair to be asking for additional funds. And it's also not fair to teachers and students to know that we're getting a cut. We're going to cut music, but we have Goodwin. I think that um you've we've heard these comments before. They're not particularly on topic for the question. I'd like to move on. Does anyone else have items related to the the current item on the agenda?
So that would be starting we tell them start the 13th. Well well I mean you got to remember too I I I was here for a couple of the the meetings going into the show that the pumps are 1996 that are currently in there. It'll be 14 15,000 plus 28 if it fails. It just doesn't make sense to do it. There's a 4 to 8 week lead time just to order the tank. So, we need to move forward cuz I'd like them to get shovel ready and have grass growing before the kids come back to school. Well, hopefully that that replacement should go quickly. So, if we know we're going to do it, if the board is okay with this, then K and I will work out the details in the next week or two. and uh we'll get Billy on board to start ordering equipment and uh get it ready to go so right after school closes we can start the work.
Motion made by Louisa. Could I hear a second? Second by Kate. Any questions? Seeing none. All in favor? Could I hear I? I. Motion self carried. Dr. Cronin policy um E. Action item E. Okay. Action item E, policy 5131. Uh one, conduct motion that the board of education accept the first reading policy 5131. uh.1 uh bus conduct as recommended by the policy committee and in accordance with 25-59 policy made by Dr. Croman. Could I hear a second? Second. Second. Seconded by Lauren.
They had their very first ever PBS experience to John's Incredible Pizza and it was awesome. They had an absolute blast and it was such a great group of kids. What did you have? 50 60 kids. We all went together. We went together. Yeah. Yeah, we went together. We had um 70 70 kids all together and 70 kids. They had an amazing time. They were so so no issues whatsoever. Just happy to be there. Lots of eating pizza and ice cream. Oh my gosh. And we like Yeah. And no. Yeah. It's great. So So many dances, right, Mr. Mcgru? So many dances. um they love them. Uh as you guys mentioned, we had our KSL presentation which was great, well received by our kids. A lot of great conversations back in classrooms with the teachers. So, and really great things for us to fall back on and use as teaching moments.
Correct. Okay. Perfect. Thank you. Uh with that I will move to approve the uh agreement. Second. Thank you very much. It's been moved and seconded. All in favor say I. I. Opposed. Motion is carried. Let's continue on to Oh, is that it? Oh, item 16, request for staff followup. Do we have any from the staff from the board? None. Item number 17, items for future agendas. Do we have any recommendations? None. In that case, could I have a motion, please, for adjournment? Move to adjurnn. Second. Well, it's been moved and seconded. All in favor say I. I. Oppose. I'm sure no one would oppose that part. Thank you very much. Good evening.
And it will be the same survey just by the order of the questions. So that allows us to know that we're getting that unbiased view that we're looking for to to have reliable results over the course of a survey. In general, what we do see is for the most part, I will say most proposals go down. We like to see a pre-est in that 55 to 60% range as I mentioned and generally we like to see the post- test in the 50 to 55% range because that's typically what happens. This is one of the rare examples where actually the post test it went up 62% yes compared to 27% no uh 2 to1 the definitely yes to definitely no uh a little bit over two to1 on the probably yes to probably no holding on to all the age demographics holding on to all the kids at home demographics.
So, thank you. So now pivoting over to gifted education, I am going to preface and say that all the information that I'm about to share um regarding gifted education is found in our gifted enrichment handbook which is posted on the district website under the teaching and learning um portion of the website. In addition, the language that you're going to hear comes directly from Illinois law um which they passed an accelerated placement act which requires Illinois public school districts to adopt and implement policies on acceleration. One thing I noticed here in Kyrie 26 is that when we are talking about gifted, we're talking about a tree, but we need to actually step back and look at the forest because the act that was passed talks about accelerated placement, not just gifted. Gifted is one component to that, but there are other pieces that when you look in our gifted enrichment handbook, which actually can be a little bit misleading, um it's not just about gifted placement.
Um it's important. Um I can see I can see both of your points. I think I lean a little bit more um toward Julie just based on how this has been written. Um, I would be um I think it's more than I do think it's it's it is a a benefit to us to hear what legislation is being proposed and voted on at the state level specifically given the nature of education at the federal level because we're going to be seeing more coming from our state legislators. I I do think just some of this language such as the lobbying that could be charged. Y okay establishing and maintaining legislative positions maybe not at the meeting. We do not establish our positions. The voting component that's not part of our meetings though that is separate. Um establishing and maintaining relationships with district legislatures. I mean that would have to be that could be simple as like this is SB whatever an email out to both like we just have to make sure like but it I can see where Julie's worried about some of the language in here and if it was written at a time I think 2011 when the author of this may have had um another agenda we need to be careful and if it is included I don't think it can be included as is right.
So that's what we're just watching but we have no problem adding an additional um teacher if if needed to keep those um class sizes um below that 26 threshold. We're keeping an eye on that just because I know there's a lot of new construction over off of like Haber Court and the condos on Main Street if Yep. And we've actually look we've even added um the one that we're watching. I believe the second grade is at 24.5 at Three Oaks. I'm watching that one as well. It's not highlighted. The third grade is higher. I'm sorry. Thank you. It is third grade. Sorry. It is third grade. I apologize. Um yes, the third grade we're also watching because it's at the same threshold as the Deer Path. Okay. Um class. So, I'm watching that section as well. Okay. Yep. So, I just want to make sure like I'm glad you just said that because we have had I have had feedback as a board member about us being proactive and we know that we have these additional teaching positions that we have to fill this year with those the a lotment of those new positions.
Um we do that with retention strategies, professional development opportunities. Uh we have a weekly TBRI for teachers during their prep period uh where they can go and uh do a nurture group um with our TBRI district TBRI coach who comes into our building uh once a week. Um and then uh faculty satisfaction surveys that we conduct twice a year. One of them is districtwide and then we do one um in our building. So um you guys have probably heard most of these because these are district initiatives right. So um our driving success is um based on th these premises right the MTSS multiple tiers uh multiple tier support systems uh TBRI trustbased relational intervention the PLC's are um professional learning communities and then instructional rounds and I have with me today um where are my teachers? Uh Mr. Kenny O'Brien and um Miss Connie Arowwood who will talk about that here in just a little bit um on what the instructional rounds are.
Does that does that make sense? Yeah. Okay. So, I'm gonna look at the folks online and I guess the best hand way to let me know. Yes. If you could uh Sure. Oh, I'm sorry. Yes, please. Yeah, we have a couple more people in here. No, you don't need to be. I just didn't know that you wanted to come up. Yes, please. We didn't. Um, hi, my name is Liz Aley. I have two boys that are at the U middle school and we just and I'm on the AYB the Ashlin Youth Basketball League board along with Laura Yoni who's the president and I just wanted to present to the group that um who are very much in favor of the athletic fields at the middle school being fixed as well as the um basketball courts. Those very much affect our program which serves about 500 youth from grade first grade through 8ighth grade.
I do. Me mayor disorder. This is my last question for Andy. Um in any of the other districts that you work at or or just your opinion, do you think we should have a policy on revolving accounts? Have you seen that in other schools? All revolving accounts are governed by uh Mass General law. So I think it's chapter 44. I would have to check. Some of them might be under different ones. So uh I would say statute dictates what it is as far as that whether or not you want to have a policy, but it's I'm going to some specifics. I mean, you're not going to use your transportation revolving account for anything other than transportation. you're not going to use, you know, school choice technically is to be used to offset the expenses for educating kids that choose to choice into the district. There are some allowable exceptions to that.
Does anybody see a problem with this? How quickly does any sort of the summer programs and booths and things begin? Like is there the last day of school June 13th? Okay. So you got STEM is starting right after and I don't think but they can be we can the these can be shifted around just a little bit. Um, we have spaces they can go. Okay. Right. And it's only going to affect that end of the field. Um, because the half the building goes that way. So, you know, they can even use the the thing and Billy can pump it if the tank needs to be emptied once if they're using that for some one of your programs. But my suggestion is because they are so old, they're coming to the end of their useful life, spending $28,000 or $20,000 or $18,000 and then having to go back in four or five years.
Any questions? Seeing none. All in favor could I? I oppose. Motion so carry. Julie policy E F F Too many of them. Motion that the board of education accept request reading policy 5131-6 alcohol use drugs and tobacco including performance enhancing substances as recommended by the policy committee and in accordance with 25-60 pol uh made u motion made by Julie. Did I hear a second? Second. Seconded by air. All in favor?
Sixth graders are heading to science camp the week after spring break, which is great. Uh and then our eighth graders uh had a spaghetti spaghetti dinner fundraiser last week. It was ridiculously successful. If you ever need somebody to plan an event for you, call Tanya Hamilton. She will get you the most amazing raffle items. Uh spa day at the Chansy Spa with an overnight stay and dinner at Vintage. Um it was there was a leaf blower. Oh no, it was a weed whacker I was walking around with. It was great. Uh Tommy Wheeler came and was the auctioneer for the live auction portion of it. Sweet Dreams donated cakes. The kids did a great job. The kids had to serve us all. They did a great job. L had I should have worn my matching shirt. Um they they really they stepped it up that night.
Um, what this tells me is the more folks learn about the proposal, what's included in there, school safety and security, the various projects that are involved in that, the more folks learn about the proposal, the more they're likely and a potential to support it. Um, like I said, this doesn't necessarily mean that it would pass with 62% of the vote, but if you were to move forward, it does have a strong amount of viability, especially considering um that we saw pretty much net gains across the board with the exception of 30 to 39 year olds. uh most of the time the right column here is a lot of red. It's usually a fall-off that we see to have uh pretty much gains across the board with increased public education is a is a great news. Uh I don't see it a lot. It's not a typical of what happens to these types of surveys.
Um we have early entrance to kindergarten and first grade that falls under the accelerated placement act. We also have a process for accelerating a child in a in a single subject um which we see that in our grades 68 for uh ELA and for math. We might have a student who is identified as gifted or high achieving and they could be a sixth grader and they have qualified for that advanced ELA. So the text that they are getting exposed to in the curriculum they're getting exposed to is actually one grade higher than the sixth grade grade level. Um, accelerated placement also includes a whole skipping of a grade level. There's a process for that. And then accelerated placement also does encompass what we talk about gifted enrichment gifted and then also enrichment which is access to curriculum usually reserved for children who are older or in higher grades than the child.
I believe that it I hear you and I believe that it can be both and really how I'm looking at this as um what it's saying what it's saying here everything that we're worried about it's these are activities that may include but are not limited to but this is really um saying that as a part of its duties the board will advocate for or against legislation aligned or not aligned with the district's philosophies and goals. Um, I think that that's natural. I think I feel like it can it can be both. Uh, I believe not having this is kind of opening a can of worms. This is and and this is why. Okay. I do want to say that I do hear the concern that the that the board remain non-political. That's what I feel like I'm hearing from Miss Jetty and that's what I feel like, you know, it says, you know, um inviting legislators to meet with district stakeholders.